To Infinity and Beyond
by Zander1210
Summary: **Note: This is a spin-off of The Many Adventures of the Cassidy Family** The Cassidy, Gold, and Charming families are traveling to the happiest place on earth- Disney World. With endless rides, fireworks, and fun, each family bonds with one another and experiences an unforgettable vacation.
1. Up and Away

**A/N: I was thinking about writing a story that focuses on the Cassidy family (Neal, Emma, Henry, age fourteen, and Milah, age three) and their first family trip. Originally, I wanted to make this story fit in with _The Many Adventures of the Cassidy Family_, but as I was planning it out, I felt it would take up too many chapters. Therefore, I made this story as a "spin off". I hope you guys like it!**

***Comments and reviews would be great* Also, keep this in mind, readers that I'm still debating whether or not I should continue with _Life is Full of Surprises_. Any reasons for me to continue it would be immensely appreciated.**

* * *

"Morning, Emma," Neal sweetly sang, turning over on the bed. Emma groaned and buried herself under her pillow, the covers tucked around her skin to keep her warm, and her green eyes stuck together with the sleep-induced crust. "We gotta get up. We have a plane to catch in a few hours," he added, hoping to jerk his wife awake. But Emma shook her head from under the covers and brushed her hand against Neal's skin to quiet him down.

A few months ago, Neal had had the sudden urge to plan a family trip, a trip that involved the Cassidy, Gold, and Charming family coming together for an adventure to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Emma was skeptical about it, claiming that the kids were too young and that their families would end up killing each other before they ended up in the Disney parks. But Neal was insistent, showing to his wife that he was serious about the trip. He arranged the hotel rooms, three suites at the Beach Club resort, managed to convince park managers to give him a deal on Park Hopper tickets, buy cheap airfare tickets, complete with pre-family boarding for the Cassidy family, plan the family dining arrangements, and create an itinerary that the kids, Milah and Henry, had agreed upon.

The date for the trip had been set for a week and a half of relaxation and fun-time, the tickets for the parks and planes were purchased, the hotels were booked, and Emma reluctantly gave in.

Today was the day that Cassidy, Gold, and Charming family would be venturing off to Disney. They're plane was set to leave at eight o'clock in the morning, which meant that each family was to meet at the nearest airport the state of Maine at five thirty in order to go through the security checkpoint and find the gate together. It was four in the morning, and Neal, acting more like a kid that Milah, was already up, bright eyed and bushy tailed.

"Neal, it's four in the morning, we still have a few hours. Go back to sleep," Emma mumbled, losing her breath by pronouncing each word and taking her time to muster her energy in the wee hours of the morning. "To hell with Godforsaken airplanes," It was a typical Emma sentence, especially typical since it was the early morning, and the blonde had been woken from her peaceful slumber.

Neal smiled and pulled the covers back from his body, running a hand through his hair. He laid a kiss on his wife's cheek, whispering, "I'm gonna go wake Henry and Milah," in her ear as he stood up from the bed.

Emma waved her hand and her head shot up from the pillow. "Why the hell would you wake Milah? She'll be cranky,"

"Like you?" Neal playfully replied, caressing Emma's messy hair in his hands. The blonde gave him a death stare, as if to say she will kill him, and slumped back into bed, holding up her middle finger in the most lady-like fashion. "Okay, okay, I won't wake her," Neal sighed, retreating towards the bedroom door and bursting it open.

Henry stood in front of the door, in the hallway, hugging his backpack straps tightly with a massive grin on his face. The fourteen year old rocked back and forth on his toes, wearing cargo shorts and a polo shirt, unlike his usual Maine attire. Henry had been ready for the trip to Disney since Neal announced they would be going on it, packing his suitcases months in advance and taking out guide book upon guide book about the hidden treasures that laid within the Disney property from the library. In his spare time, the fourteen year old circled rides and attractions he wanted to visit in each park and studied the maps, memorizing them in his head for future reference. "Hey," he grinned, startling his father.

Neal looked down at his son, looking as if he had not fallen asleep the previous night when Emma had wanted each kid to go to bed early, hoping that in the morning, they wouldn't end up moody and tired. Neal didn't understand why Emma had not chosen to take her own advice and go to bed a few hours earlier than midnight, but, her attitude proving it, she was already moody and tired- a lesson to be learned. "Morning, kid. Are you ready to go?" Neal questioned, patting his son on the shoulder.

"Yeah!" the boy exclaimed, following his father down the hall as he retreated towards the laundry room, where six bags of luggage laid sprawled out on the shiny tile floor. Neal dug through his suitcase, a black zipper suitcase with a luggage tag marked: _Neal Cassidy_ in large letters, and pulled out a pair of army green cargo shorts and a blue V-neck tee-shirt.

Giving his son a toothy grin, Neal stated, "I'm gonna get dressed and try to get your mom up. I'll be down in a few minutes to make you some breakfast," Henry raised his eyebrows, knowing that what his father called breakfast wasn't always edible or healthy. "Mom bought a new box of Pop-Tarts. Don't worry," Neal added, reassuring his son's worried face. Henry bolted down the stairs as Neal left the laundry room, dragging the luggage behind him and throwing it down the stairs.

Henry took the luggage from the bottom few steps and arranged it by the door, ready to be taken out to the bug once everyone was up, dressed, and fed. The fourteen year old knew that Emma, being one to lounge in bed for the longest amount of time, was going to take much of their precious time away, and having the bags prepared to leave was a cautious step Henry willingly took.

"I can't believe this is happening," Emma muttered, trailing down the stairs a few moments later, surprising Henry. She looked beautiful, like she did every day, though today she wore a baggy gray tee-shirt that seemed to magically fit her body, skin-tight blue jeans with mini black booties, and a black leather jacket. Her blonde hair was pulled into a side fishtail braid and her usual makeup was encrusted under her eyes. How Emma had managed to gather herself so effortlessly was mystifying to Henry. Neal came down the stairs behind Emma, carrying a sleeping Milah in his arms.

Neal passed the three year old into Emma's arms, who arranged the sleeping toddler into a position so that her daughter's little legs were wrapped around Emma's waist. The three year old wore a purple and yellow stripe shirt, a matching purple hoodie, and her infamous black high tops. Milah's thumb was sucked inside her mouth, while her head rested against Emma's shoulder, the three year old's blonde curls pulled back by a headband, flowing sweetly around her.

Unwrapping two packages from the Pop-Tart box, Henry stuck them inside the toaster and said over his shoulder, "I'm so excited that we're going to Disney World! Do you know how long I've wanted to go?" he jumped up and down, high enough so that he could touch the ceiling with his bare hands, acting like his father the night before the trip. Neal had wanted to stay up all night, watching Disney movies, but Emma yelled at each of her children, Neal included, and told them that they needed to go to bed. "I can't wait to go on all those roller coasters!"

Emma perked up suddenly. "Me too," she said genuinely, surprising her husband and son. "I love roller coasters,"

"Really?" Henry asked hopefully, knowing that with his mother sometimes felt the need to be sarcastic.

Emma retrieved the Pop-Tarts from the toaster oven after it beeped, handed one to Henry and one to Neal, leaving the last one for her. "Honestly," Emma replied, biting into the squishy breakfast treat.

Neal shook his head and muttered to Henry, "Oh, yeah, this is gonna be a fun trip,"

* * *

Milah slept throughout the car ride, never bothering Henry until she twisted around the leather seats and ended up with her head in his lap. The fourteen year old groaned and tried swatting his sister away, but no sudden movements woke the girl up. She was dead to the world, and so was Emma. The blonde woman slumped down in her seat, resting her head against the leather headrest, and reached over to hold Neal's hand. He squeezed it, but Emma did not wake up. Mother and daughter were mirrored images.

As the family rode down the wet paved roads towards the town line, Neal noticed that full of life town in the day, was dead and dreary at night, looking more like a ghost town rather than a storybook town. Henry leaned his head against the window, watching the passing scenery as the car drove closer and closer to the edge of town. In back of the bug, Mr. Gold's crisp car strolled behind them, Belle looking down at her book, while an irritable Mr. Gold clutched the driving wheel, muttering to himself. Neal passed by Mary Margaret and David's apartment, every light drawn, looking as if it was haunted. "Do you think Grams and Gramps are already at the airport?" Henry asked softly.

"Wouldn't surprise me," Neal replied back, meeting eyes with his son in the review mirror. "They are always early for everything," He chuckled and Henry smiled, shaking his head and agreeing with his father silently. The Charming's were early risers, wanting to be right on time for any kind of event, while the Cassidy family was the opposite. The family of four was always late to events, such as school, dinner, or family gatherings, which many people in the community were used to with the Cassidy family.

Ahead a ways, situated in the trees surrounding the storybook-like town, was the inevitable green sign that proclaimed the message: _Leaving Storybrooke, Maine _in bright white lettering that stuck out from the green foliage.

In the front seat, Emma groaned and muttered without knowing under her breath, "Why me?" before turning away from her first position and curling up against the car window, where fog was clouding the glass. She gave out a small croak and another groan, dropping Neal's hand and moved her head again, now leaning it against the leather headrest, her mouth open, as she slept. Neal chuckled from his spot in the driver's seat, but, Emma, hearing her husband's laughter, murmured, "Shut up, you frickin' pervert," in her sweetest voice.

Instantly, Neal's mouth snapped shut and he became mute. Emma smiled, despite her sleep-induced coma-self and relaxed into her seat, grasping her husband's hand again. "I love you, too, Emma," he grumbled with one hand on the steering wheel.

After driving for thirty minutes, Emma had let go of her grip on Neal's hand, allowing the man to cruise along the road with one arm sticking outside of the bug's window. The air was damp and musty, the sun barely peaking from behind the trees, while the roads leading towards the nearest town in Maine were empty, dirt-caked, and wet. Henry had fell asleep with his Disney guide book propped open, while Milah had changed her position from resting on top of Henry's lap, to hanging upside down against the leather seat, her little head close to the floor of the car. Emma had swiveled up and hugged the side of the car, making a few noises every so often to keep Neal amused.

Neal wondered how long it would be before one of his family members rose from the dead, and decided that once they reached the airport, signs indicating which lane to stay in to lead the way, he would have to wake them all up. Henry wouldn't be a problem to wake, seeing that the boy looked restless with his guide book hammering up and down, but Milah and Emma seemed like they were best left undisturbed. Neal switched into the right lane, putting on his blinker, with his hand still stretched out of the window. Neal hummed, tapping his fingers on the side of the bug as a line of cars, appearing from out of nowhere, backed against each other's, leading into the long term parking ramp for the garage.

Behind the yellow bug, Mr. Gold's car beeped to get Neal's attention. Glancing behind him in the review mirror, Neal saw Belle wave happily, while Mr. Gold barked out orders at cars passing around him. Neal waved back, using the hand that was stuck outside the window. "What's taking so long? It's a Goddamn airport," Neal swore, waking up Henry.

"We're there?! We're at the airport?!" the boy exclaimed, shooting up in his seat. The movement wasn't great enough to wake Milah or Emma, both sleepers couldn't be woken if a marching band had passed by them, blaring their instruments. Henry spotted the long term parking sign above him and screamed, "YES! We're at the airport!" in a high, little girl-like voice.

His screaming _had_ woken up Emma and Milah surprisingly. "What the hell is going on," Emma asked, her eyes jerking open, flaring her fists in every direction for self-defense. Milah sat up from her monkey-like position and rubbed her eyes. Henry rapidly tapped his mother on the shoulder, annoying her immensely. Beginning to scream again in his girly voice, Henry bounced up and down in his seat.

"Mama, Papa, where are we?" the three year old asked in a groggy voice, stretching her arms above her head, her teddy bear clutched in between her legs. Henry pressed his face against the window, watching in awe at the passing cars and the ramps leading towards the garage. The bug was halfway to the garage, in the middle of the ramp. Every few minutes the car would inch forward and stop again, waiting for their turn to park.

Emma wiped the sleep from her eyes, crust falling onto the seat. "I'm guessing the airport," Emma observed, turning to face her delirious daughter. "Look, Milah, Henry, over there," the blonde pointed towards the back of the airport, where a large concrete runway, filled with planes of all sizes, were parked. Lights illuminated the runway, clearing a path for takeoff.

Neal checked his watch. "Right on time," he stated to his wife, moving the car forward, almost nearing the entrance to the garage. "Glad you guys finally got up," Neal added with a smile. Behind him, Mr. Gold raised his fist out of the window, shaking it at a passerby-er in a black sedan. Neal raised his eyebrows in the review mirror, catching Belle's gaze, and trudged the car fully into the garage.

Finding a place to park in the end corner of the lot, Neal shut the engine of the bug off and told everyone to get out of the car. Opening the trunk with the car keys, Henry and Neal began to unload the duffle bags and backpacks stored away. While Neal was emptying the car with Henry by his side, Emma went to go rescue Milah from her car seat. She unbuckled the three year old and slung her onto her waist. "Mama, I'm tired," the three year old complained.

"I know, sweetie. Mama is too," Emma said, closing her daughter's door as Mr. Gold's car pulled into the parking space next to the bug's. Belle and Gold emerged from the car, opening the backseats and unloading their car. Neal, unveiling the handle to his suitcase, wrapped his wife's duffle bag and his daughter's duffle bag around the silver pole. "But, hey, when we get on the plane, we'll both take nap, okay? We need to be full of energy when we get to Disney,"

Neal smiled at his wife, as she skillfully shrugged into her leather knapsack, keeping Milah locked onto her waist. "I can't wait to get to Disney," Milah exclaimed, kicking her legs against Emma's side. "We are gonna have so much fun,"

Henry glanced over at his sister, raving on and on about the rides at Disney World, while Emma propped the three year old's car seat under her arm. "We sure will," Emma agreed, hoping to sound convincing. The fourteen year old grabbed Milah's green and blue polka dot backpack and attached it to his father's suitcase, freeing Emma from having to carry one more thing.

"All right," Belle concluded, slamming the doors to Mr. Gold's car shut. "Is everyone ready," Together the family led the way into the airport, Henry running towards the automatic doors leading into the Augusta, Maine international and national airport at a full sprint, while Milah scrambled out of Emma's arms to hold hands with her grandmother Belle and grandfather Gold, leaving Emma, held close into Neal's chest, as they walked towards the fun, towards the adventure waiting from them inside.

* * *

Emma didn't know how Mr. Gold would handle himself in an airport, let alone Disney World, with his yearn and inability to stop using magic. The old man seemed to take it upon himself to drive a luggage cart towards his family using a small wave of his hand and place each piece of luggage accordingly on the cart. "There's nothing wrong with being organized," Gold had said, arranging the baggage in a neat pile. At first, Emma thought that, once seeing the use of magic being done, Milah and Henry were bound to wave their hands and make magical things happen, but they controlled themselves. There was thousands of people passing by, thinking nothing of an old man acting insane by waving his hands around and making things appear out of nowhere, and many passerby-ers thought they were seeing things, that their eyes were playing tricks on them. Milah and Henry, both exceptionally smart, did not want to drag any more attention to the family.

Each family was given a neatly stacked luggage cart, in which the men of the group pushed. Gold took his cart, packed only with two suitcases, and drove it side by side with Neal's cart, which was stacked with four duffle bags and four backpacks. Emma, with Milah in her arms, walked next to Belle, as Henry ran ahead, towards his charming grandparents, Mary Margaret and David, on the far side of the entrance into the airport.

"Gran," Henry yelled happily, hugging his grandmother tightly. "Grampa," he turned to face his expert swordsmen grandfather

Mary Margaret and David hugged their grandson, squeezing his shoulders and making his breath catch into his chest. "Hey, Henry," they mumbled into his shirt.

Henry pulled away from Mary Margaret and David as Mr. Gold, Belle, Emma, Milah, and Neal arrived in a circle around the Charming's. Milah squealed and ran to envelope both of her grandparent's in a hug. David lifted little Milah from the ground and twirled her in the air, while Mary Margaret clapped her hands in excitement. "Gramma! Grampa," Milah yelled loudly.

Once David set Milah back onto the floor, the three year old ran into Belle's arms, whispering something into her ear. Mary Margaret walked up to her son-in-law and daughter, both wrapped in each other's arms, and said, "Emma, Neal, how are you?"

"Tired," Emma replied with a sigh.

"Wonderful," Neal answered shortly after. "How about you," he asked.

Mary Margaret gave her daughter's arm a squeeze as she locked eyes with Neal. "Pretty good," she said, a smile creeping onto her face. "I'm just very excited, as are your kids. They can't stand still," Henry, standing in between Mr. Gold and David, bounced back and forth on his heels, while Milah pointed different sights around the airport to Belle.

Neal pulled Emma closer, his arms draped around her shoulder. "They've been waiting for this forever," he told his mother-in-law with a wink. "And so has Emma," Neal playfully jabbed Emma in the side with his finger.

"Oh, yeah, sure," Emma muttered under her breath, though her heart was doing backflips. In truth, the blonde had been waiting for this trip to happen for many months, just the thought of one of her childhood dreams' coming true was mind blowing.

People around the airport hustled and bustled, businessmen emailing on their phones as they walked, careful not to bump into anyone, while teenagers clumped together in a big school group held passports in their hands as they walked towards the security checkpoint. Families of all sizes, some with only one child, while some with four kids, loitered in front of a television screen that surveyed the gate numbers for each of the flights. "Shouldn't we find our gate?" Henry asked, pointing to a screen that was nearest to him.

David clamped his hand on Henry's shoulder. "Good thinking, kid," Over his shoulder, the older man called to his family, "Henry and I will find which gate to go to after we make our way through security," Belle and Milah, too absorbed in their game to listen, pointed at two security guards, one with a balding head, while the other with a beer-belly, and laughed. Mary Margaret walked over towards Mr. Gold, talking to him in a low voice, as Emma and Neal people-watched in each other's arms.

"Gate twenty-five, flight one-forty six," David and Henry said in unison, retreating from the television screen. "It takes off at seven o'clock and its five o'clock now. I think it's best if we go through security, find the gate, and wait until it's time to board," David finished, planning the agenda in his head.

Mr. Gold nodded his head, starting forward and into the mass of people, wheeling his luggage cart with Belle, holding Milah's hand, by his side. "All right, then. Come along, Milah," Gold said in his rich voice. Mary Margaret led David and Henry behind them, while Neal pushed his family's luggage cart, Emma attached to his waist.

* * *

The security checkpoint looked more like a science lab, what with the many machines, blinking green, red, and yellow, and the guards, wearing the same kind of uniform, pressed and starched, with sanitary gloves on their hands. Children were screaming and throwing tantrums, while business men and women obeyed the airport rules, taking their belongings and placing them on the moveable conveyer belt. Belle and Mary Margaret stared in fascination at the machines, while their husbands slaved their backs and heaved the suitcases onto the conveyer.

Henry dumped his backpack into a bucket, slipped out of his shoes, and walked through the metal detector, emerging on the other side to grab his things. Milah watched her brother as Emma unzipped the three year old's hoodie and untied her sneakers, placing them into a bucket. "M, you need to put your backpack and teddy bear into that bucket," Emma instructed to her daughter, pointing at the bin lying on the floor.

Milah looked in horror at her mother. "I'm not putting Teddy in dat bucket," she protested, clutching her bear closer to her body. In front of the little girl, Mary Margaret walked through the metal detector and into another machine, where she stood with her arms raised above her head, as a camera circled around her. She left the machine and Belle repeated the same process. "Whoa," the three year old breathed. "I wanna do that,"

"All right, you can do that, but you need to put your teddy bear into that bucket," Emma reasoned, kicking off her boots and placing her backpack into a bin. Neal, being the gentleman he is, helped his wife out of her leather jacket and folded it in the bucket. David and Gold, both emptying their pockets of loose change, watched over their shoulders at Milah, Emma, and Neal.

"But I don't want Teddy to go in there," Milah complained, shaking her head back and forth as her curls swung behind her head. "He'll get hurt," she said, protective of her bear.

Emma fished out her license, keys, and cell phone from her backpack and placed them into the bin as Neal slipped out of his shoes and knelt down to face his daughter. "Peanut, your bear is gonna be fine. All you have to do is walk through that machine," Neal pointed towards the metal detector, blinking green as Mr. Gold trudged through it with his cane clacking against the carpeted floor. "and find your bear on the other side,"

Milah was insistent, holding up the line as she clutched her bear. "No," she sobbed, tears falling from her eyes. "I'm not putting Teddy in there," Neal sighed heavily, angry and wanting more than ever for his daughter to listen to him.

"Kid, if you don't put your bear in that bucket," Emma commanded next to Neal, tucking her bangs behind her ear. "You can't get in that plane, and if you can't get in that plane, you can't go to Disney World," Milah's eyes widened as she glanced over at the lone bucket. "Put Teddy in that bucket on the count of three," Emma said sternly.

"One," Neal said, his tone showing no room for argument. Milah stood with her bear dangling in front of the bin. "Two," he added.

Emma placed her hands on her hips. "Three," she said, watching as Milah reluctantly placed her bear in the bucket, stored away behind her hoodie and backpack. The three year old, with her nose in the air, walked through the metal detector and emerged on the other side, while Emma and Neal, both sighing, placed Milah's bucket onto the conveyer and sent it through the machine.

Neal guided Emma towards the metal detector, placing a kiss on her cheek as she was about to step through. "So much like you," he said, Emma glaring at him. The blonde walked over to the second machine, raised her hands above her head, letting the camera circle around her. Neal watched his wife, smiling under his breath.

When Emma was finished, she stepped out of the second machine and joined her family members on the other side of the security checkpoint, grabbing their luggage and shoving their shoes on their feet. Milah peered over the side of the conveyer, waiting for Teddy, and tapped her fingers against the machine. In a flash of furry brown material, Milah's prized teddy bear emerged from the machine, as did Neal, Emma, and Milah's luggage. The three year old, huffing and puffing, reached over and tried to grab her things, but she was too small and barely grasped the fur of her bear.

"Here you go, Peanut," Neal said, grabbing the bear and handing it to his daughter. Emma took her daughter's belongs off of the conveyer and helped the three year old zipper her jacket again and tie her shoes. Milah tapped the sides of her feet together with a grin, Teddy sitting on her lap. Neal threw the rest of his family's luggage over the side of the machine and stacked it onto another luggage cart.

"Hey, Dad," Henry called, next to Mary Margaret. "Can we go get Cinnabuns," he pointed towards the bright blue concession stand sign, a smell of glazed cinnamon buns wafting its way up the fourteen year old's nose.

Neal squeezed his feet into his shoes and waited next to Emma as she shrugged on her leather jacket, flipped her fishtail braid from under the leather material onto the outside of her jacket, and stepped into her booties. "Yeah," he replied over his shoulder. Milah ran towards Mr. Gold and linked her hand through his, while Neal and Emma followed the family, their hands intertwined.

* * *

After purchasing two boxes of Cinnabuns, the Cassidy, Charming, and Gold family made their way towards gate twenty-five. With Mary Margaret and Belle in the lead, the two women guided the rest of the family towards their designated area, giggling and gossiping to each other along the way. Behind Mary Margaret and Belle were Mr. Gold, David, Henry, and Milah. The foursome group, as they walked, was sticking pieces of Cinnabuns into their mouths, the gooey goodness trickling down their throats. Milah was walking in the middle of her two grandfathers', the men keeping their eyes on the energetic girl's adventurous charisma. Bring up the rear of the train of storybook families was Neal and Emma. The blonde leaned her head against Neal's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around his wife's shoulders and pushed the luggage cart with one hand. "Seems like the gate is pretty far down. Do you think we're going the right way?" Neal asked in a whisper.

"No clue," Emma replied with a laugh, glancing up at the airport signs every once in a while. From the looks of how the signs were laid out, they were going the right way, yet their gate seemed to be nonexistent. "I think we're going the right way, though,"

The family walked through the crowds of people, their steps as care free as ever. Mary Margaret and Belle followed the approaching signs, telling each other that the gate should be up just ahead. Nearing the end of the airport, it was Belle who announced, "All right, everyone, gate twenty five is right here," Mr. Gold, David, Milah, and Henry exhaled, out of breath from their nonstop walking and collapsed into the hard, yet cushioned, metal seats.

In front of the mass of waiting chairs, a booth that proclaimed the gate number twenty five in bold letters stood tall, while two flight attendants went about their jobs, typing furiously on their laptops. Behind them, a flashing red light blinked the message: _flight one-forty six to Orlando, Florida will be boarding in a half an hour. _

Emma and Neal, casually strolling through the crowd, joined their family in the waiting area five minutes later, the ease on their faces revolting towards Milah, Henry, Gold, David, Mary Margaret, and Belle, who were tired from their fast-paced walking. "I can't even stand them," Mary Margaret joked, slumping next to David.

"Who," David questioned, tucking his arm around his wife. Mr. Gold and Belle took seats next to Mary Margaret and David, while Henry and Milah sprawled themselves on the ground, playing go fish with a deck of cards.

Mary Margaret nodded towards Emma and Neal, sitting across from Gold and Belle. Emma placed her head in the crook of Neal's shoulder, while Neal rested his chin on the top of Emma's head. They looked dead, both of them ready to sleep for day in and day out. "Emma and Neal. They're just so _good_ together,"

David smiled and squeezed his wife's hand. "Ah, are you saying you're jealous of them? I mean, yes, they have an easier method of finding each other then we do, but we've been through so much more," he informed.

Across the way, Emma's eyes fluttered closed, while her body curled up next to Neal's. Mary Margaret smiled, despite of herself, and replied, "I know, I know, but they've been through so much, too," Neal placed a kiss on the side of Emma's head and his eyes drifted close.

"Yeah, well," David sighed, clearly not impressed.

Mary Margaret nonchalantly stared at Neal and Emma, looking so peaceful and in love. "And they make great parents. Look at the way the handle Milah and Henry," she marveled. On the floor, Milah and Henry on their stomachs, a series of giggles erupted and the squeal of 'Go fish!' shot out of the three year old's mouth. The kid's seemed well-behaved, restrained, and mature for their current age.

David pulled his wife into his chest and answered, "That's because Emma and Neal are doing their best in order to make sure that Milah and Henry have a good life," Mary Margaret nodded into David's chest. "That's the thing with parents, they always want their kids to succeed in life,"

"Emma did," Mary Margaret said abruptly.

"What," David asked, wrinkling his eyebrows together in confusion.

Mary Margaret glanced up at her husband, her blue eyes dancing. "Emma, our child, succeed in life," she clarified. David nodded, understanding, and watched as his grandchildren played with their cards.

* * *

After napping for only twenty minutes, Emma was awoken by the constant lull of Neal's voice. The blonde's celery-green eyes flickered open to face Neal, uncoiling himself from Emma's grip and gathering the bags around him. He had abandoned the luggage cart when they had found the gate to the plane, and now he passed duffle bags to Henry, while helping Milah attach her backpack onto her shoulders.

The sign above the booth now flickered: _Pre-family boarding _repeatedly. Emma yawned and grabbed her leather knapsack and Milah's car seat, tucking it under her arm as she got up from her chair. She was calm and collected, rather than Neal and Henry, scurrying around. Taking Milah's hand in hers, Emma led the way towards the flight attendant, checking boarding passes in the front of the booth.

"Welcome to South West airlines," the perky flight attendant said and immediately Emma and Milah cringed. "Can I please see your boarding passes," she asked in an almost too cheerful voice. Neal and Henry had pushed their way behind Emma and Henry, duffle bags and suitcases thrown over their shoulders. Mary Margaret and Belle stifled their giggles as the men of the Cassidy family held the heavy bags proudly over their shoulders without a single twitch. Henry was strong, but Neal was even stronger.

Emma glanced over her shoulder at her mother and gave her a knowing stare, flicking her head in the direction of the flight attendant. Milah, holding tightly onto her mother's hand, stared in awe down the tunnel leading towards the plane, while the flight attendant scanned the boarding passes. The second flight attendant, an older lady with graying hair, reached behind the desk and revealed a package filled with a blank name tag. The name plate, resembling the flight attendants, was shaped with wings. "Here you go, sweetie," the older flight attendant said, holding out the winds.

Milah grabbed the wings from the flight attendant's hand and unwrapped the package. "Ooh," she exclaimed. "Mama, I need a pen to write my name with," the three year old concluded.

"I'll give you one when we're on the plane, Milah," Emma replied, kneeling down to face her child. Milah stared back, a spitting image. "But, what do you say to the nice lady," she nodded towards the old flight attendant.

Milah looked up at the scary flight attendant and whispered, "'tank you," before cowering behind her mother's legs.

The perkier flight attendant handed Emma the four passports. "Here you are," the lady said, pointing down the connector. "Enjoy your flight," she smiled an utterly terrifying smile that made the hair on the back of Milah's neck stand up.

"Yeah, thanks," Emma muttered over her shoulder as Milah ran down the ramp. Neal and Henry were close behind, whispering to each other about the perky flight attendant, each smiling and chuckling as they walked. Once Emma had caught up to her daughter, waiting in the middle of the ramp, the little girl tugged on her mother's jacket sleeve.

"Mama," Milah peeped, staring up at Emma with bright green eyes.

Emma looked down at her daughter, "Yeah, sweetie," she questioned.

Milah shuddered, though a toothy smile crinkled at the corner of her bright red lips. "Those two were scary," the three year old nodded towards the retreating figures of the flight attendants, her eyebrows raised high.

"I know, M, _really_ scary," Emma agreed, leading the way onto the plane.

* * *

After everyone had loaded onto the plane, the engine began to purr. The gentle sound of the engine was lulling Emma to sleep, yet she found herself unwilling to shut her eyes because of Milah, stretching across the seat towards the small, open plane window. The three year old sat on top of her car seat, the regular plane seat too big to hold her, with the seat belt tucked around her waist. To Milah's right, Mary Margaret sat with a book propped in her hand, glancing over at Milah and Emma every few minutes.

"Welcome aboard to flight one-forty six, traveling to Orlando, Florida," the pilots voice crackled above on the loud speaker. "Our estimated flight duration time is three hours and thirty minutes, so we ask you to sit back, relax, and enjoy your flight,"

Milah bounced up and down in her chair, squealing and laughing as the plane's motor grew louder and louder. The vehicle inched forward along the runway, growing faster and faster, while the engine did its worst and dragged Emma to sleep. The blonde reached into her backpack, stored underneath her seat, blasted music in her ears with the ear buds to her iPod, and slumped back into her chair.

Across the aisle from Emma, Neal snickered and whispered to Henry, "Well, it looks like Mom fell asleep already," he nodded towards Emma, her head leaning against the seat, while her Mary Margaret leaned across the seat, hoping to calm Milah down. Emma had abandoned her mother, letting her take care of the restless child.

"That was fast," Henry replied, looking up from his gaming system. "I thought she would doze off at least an hour into the ride," he glanced over at David, tapping his thumbs against the handrail, staring out into the window.

The world soared high, clouds passing by the window each second, while the state of Maine grew smaller and smaller, looking almost as if it came from an I-Spy book. The roads and cars looked miniature, like Henry could reach down and play with them.

Neal leaned back against his seat and placed his head in his hand. "An hour, seriously? This is Emma we're talking about, kid," he joked, smiling at his wife. In the row across from him, Emma stretched her legs in front of her, yearning for Neal's neck to lay on, while Milah, finally calming down, gripped her grandmother's hand tightly as the plane dove higher and higher into the sky.

At his father's comment, Henry burst out laughing, catching the attention of many families on the plane. David, Mr. Gold, and Belle glanced over their seats, catching the boy's eye as he laughed harder and harder, clutching his side. Neal smirked, glad to amuse his son, and joined in on the laughter.

Three hours later, Milah had worn herself out and collapsed, her head resting on Emma's side. Mary Margaret exhaled happily, picked up her book, and went back to reading, while David and Henry, in the next row, chatted quietly amongst themselves. Neal had dropped dead shortly after his daughter, his mouth open as he snored silently, a pool of drool forming in his mouth. "No, not the cupcakes," Neal muttered, turning in his seat. Mr. Gold and Belle shared a laptop, sitting in front of their tray tables, watching a movie. They each had a pair of headphones in their ears, enough to block out the plane engine, crying babies, excited kids, and tired parents. "Not the cupcakes," Neal repeated, shaking his head.

"Attention, passengers, we are approaching our destination of Orlando, Florida. Currently, it is eighty-five degrees out, sunny, with a slight chance of rain later in the afternoon. We need you all to please put your tray tables back in their found position, store any items below the seats, and raise your seats to their upright position," the voice over the loudspeaker informed. "Flight attendants will be coming around to make sure everything in your rows is secure,"

On cue, flight attendants scurried around the aisles, holding trash bags and pressing each tray table safely into its original position, locking it in place with a turn of the handle. A male flight attendant neared Neal's row, told David and Henry to fix their trays and seats, and then disappeared to tell Neal the same thing. Being asleep, Neal did not hear the flight attendant say anything. "Sir," the flight attendant said, raising his voice. Neal did not stir. "Excuse me, sir," the flight attendant tried again.

Neal shook his head, turning in his seat. "No," he murmured, while, across the aisle, Milah and Emma were woken up from their sleep by Mary Margaret's profuse shaking. Emma tucked her iPod away and fixed her seat and tray table, glancing over at her husband.

"Sir," the flight attendant yelled, loud enough to make heads turn. Neal still did not wake. "SIR," he hissed, jerking Neal awake with a push of his hand. In an instant, Neal's fist connected into the flight attendants face, catching him off guard, his feet moving around until they tangled underneath him. He fell into the unoccupied row next to him and hit his head against the luggage rack above.

Neal's mouth opened, in awe, as he unbuckled his seatbelt and helped the flight attendant up. "I'm so sorry, man," Neal apologized, while Milah and Emma giggled in their seats, bending forward with laughter. "God, sorry," he rambled, helping the flight attendant up with a firm hand.

The flight attendant brushed himself off and gave Neal a reassuring smile. "Uh, it's okay," he said, flexing his wrist. "Got a fist of steel, huh,"

"I guess," Neal shrugged, not knowing what to say, all the while Emma was bursting at the seams to fall over in laughter. To say the very least, Neal was very strong, strong enough to knock the wind out of another man. Henry took after Neal's strength, both built with large muscles. "Sorry again," Neal added, slapping the attendant on the arm and retreating back to his seat.

In the next few moments, things were quiet again. The plane descended down towards Orlando, Florida, closer and closer to the ground so that it seemed to glide over the runway. Ruining the relaxing motion of the plane, the wheels touched the ground and the plane skidded forward, jerking the inhabitants back and forth in their seats.

The Cassidy, Gold, and Charming families had finally reached their destination.


	2. Splish Splash

**A/N: Hey, all! I'm having such a fun time with this story. I have so many different ideas on what I should include within the chapters that my mind is bubbling and surfacing. Oh, boy! Whenever I'm at school or in public, I always have the greatest ideas for my stories come to mind. I think that, because I'm a writer, story ideas won't stop flowing. **

**After doing some guidebook hunting of my own (I think Henry would have been proud, if not for him being a television/story character), I found some great rides and attractions that I'm going to write about, along with many family interactions. I wasn't sure if including the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for Milah, even though she's not a "girly-girl", was a good idea? I value your opinions. **

**I also have a quick survey for anyone who wants to help me out with this story. The first question is: which ride in Disney World is your favorite? Would you like to see it included in future chapters? The second question is: what parade/firework show is your favorite? Would you like to see that in future chapters? The third question is: which Park is your favorite Park? Why? *I love the Magic Kingdom! The first roller coaster I ever went on is in that Park* The fourth question is: besides the well-known Parks, should I include another attraction, such as DisneyQuest, DownTown Disney, or any of the water parks, in my story? Input would be great! **

**Thanks!**

* * *

"Whoa," Milah gawked, holding hands with Mr. Gold, as she stared up at the lobby inhabited within the Beach Club Resort. From the outside, the Beach Club was huge, covering much ground with it's many pools, on location restaurants, gift shops, and arcades, and mass expanse of land. The inside of the resort was grand, what with the artfully built pillars that curved and were attached to the ceiling, vintage and wicker furniture polished to perfection, looking as if it hadn't seen a grubby finger print, and the beautiful flower arrangements. "It's p'wetty," she sang, squeezing her grandfather's hand tighter.

Behind Milah and Mr. Gold, the revolving glass doors spun, blowing the hot Florida breeze into the air conditioned hotel lobby. Henry and Belle entered the hotel soon after, each lugging suitcases with beads of sweat upon their faces. The usual Maine weather couldn't possibly prepare them for the heat they were to experience, yet each family found it oddly satisfying. Mary Margaret and David stepped through the revolving doors next, their own bags protruding from their arms, while as Neal and Emma entered the luxury hotel after them, they held nothing but each other's hands.

"Damn, it's hot," Neal muttered, shoving his jacket off of his body. Emma nodded her agreement, scanning the lobby and her family, who were looking dizzy from the amount of luggage piled in their arms. "Let's say we check in and hit the pool," Glancing outside the glass doors that were encrusted within the hotel lobby, Neal spotted the different pools, the clear, sparkling blue water yearning to be swam in.

At the mention of pool, Henry and Milah spun around to face their father. "YES," they both screamed, in perfect harmony. Between the struggles of the heavy suitcases, each grandparent laughed, smiling under their breaths as their arms soon began to break.

Neal, dragging a bewildered Emma by his side, walked towards the front desk, while calling over his shoulder, "We'll check in. Why don't you guys sit down," in his deep voice, heard all over the echoing lobby. The rest of the family made they're way to the fluffy couches sitting around the lobby, dumping their luggage on the floor and slumping into the pillows, out of breath and red in the face.

At the front desk, a desk that stretched over one side of the lobby, reflecting the bright lights hanging above on the shiny granite counter tops, a hotel assistant, a man in his middle thirties, smiled up at the oncoming pair. They murmured quietly into each other's ears, while Neal pressed a kiss on Emma's cheek, strolling up to the front desk as coolly as can be.

"Hey, man," Neal said, Emma standing next to him. Taking a map of each Park from a stand of flyers, Neal passed them to Emma and laid his arms on the cold granite, watching the smiling hotel assistant skeptically. "We're checking in,"

The hotel assistant checked on his computer, moving the mouse around. "Welcome. What's the reservation under," he asked as politely as possible, though holding back a command and a bark at Neal slouchy, unkempt position.

Neal glanced behind him at his family, each regaining their energy and talking excitedly with Milah and Henry. "We have three reservations, one's under 'Nolan', the other under 'Gold', and the last one, mine, 'Cassidy'," Neal replied catching Emma's hand and holding on to it. "They're all with me. We're family," he added nervously.

"Wonderful," the hotel assistant mimicked, not caring the slightest. Typing on his computer, the man brought up each family's hotel arrangement, the Cassidy family having the largest room. Neal, refusing to put the hotel reservation under 'Charming', booked a one room suite for Mary Margaret and David, complete with a small kitchen and sitting room, the same kind of room for the Gold family. As for the Cassidy's, their hotel room, an adjoining room with two small kitchens, two sitting rooms, two bathrooms, and two bedrooms, was the largest and most expensive out of all the three families. "All right. Here we are- David Nolan, room three-seventy six, Belle Gold, room five-sixty seven, and Neal Cassidy, room eight-thirty and eight-thirty one,"

Furrowing his eyebrows, Neal questioned, "I thought I booked each room so that we were on the same floor, next to each other," Emma kicked Neal in the back of his leg, making him cower slightly, falling under the granite counter top's edge.

The hotel assistant doubled checked the reservations, before looking back at Neal. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cassidy, but each room is on a different floor. There must have been a problem while booking the hotel, my apologies, sir," he said, as if he wasn't sorry at all.

"No, it's fine, Mr.-" Neal read the hotel assistant's name tag, holding back a chuckle as he added, "Mr. Cort_fart_,"

Letting laughter escape from his mouth, Neal turned around and clutched his side, while Emma turned towards the hotel assistant, smiled politely, and rested her hands against the marble, looking prim and proper. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cortfart, sir. My husband's a little tired from our trip down to Florida," Emma looked over at her husband, still laughing, while the rest of the family looked worriedly at Neal.

Mr. Cortfart shook his head. "It's all right, Mrs. Cassidy," he cleared his throat, hoping to ease the awkward tension that was buzzing around the room. "How many room keys will you be needing,"

"Uh, two for each room," Emma replied, as Mr. Cortfart ducked his head under his computer, typing furiously, and turning his back to receive the room keys. With his attention away from Emma, the blonde turned around and smacked the back of her hand against the back of Neal's head, drawing him from his laughing fit. "Would you stop acting so immature," she hissed.

Neal turned around to face his wife, a toothy smile on his lips. "Sorry, but you gotta admit, it's a funny last name," Emma held her ground, crossing her arms and giving Neal The Look, the look of immense badass intentions and ample intelligence. "Come on, lighten up, Em! We're in Disney World for God's sake,"

Emma threw her head back in laughter, sounding like bells and making Neal's heart race, before pressing her lips upon her husband's and kissing him passionately. "Yeah, yeah, I know," she mumbled, not taking her lips off of Neal's. Reaching behind her, as if sensing the keys were resting on the granite and Mr. Cortfart was waiting patiently to give them to her, Emma's hand grabbed the keys and allowed Neal to scoop her up in his arms and carry her back to the waiting family.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, the Cassidy family found themselves lounging around the Beach Club's pools. Milah and Henry, both expert swimmers, raced back and forth around the water, splashing each other and threatening to beat each other in another race. Neal found himself, with his arms hoisting his body up, leaning against the wall, watching his son and daughter swim, while Emma, looking like an exotic empress, sat laying on a lounge chair.

In her simple, yet figure flattering, black bikini, Emma lay with a drink in her hand and her sunglasses perched on her nose, absorbing the sunlight that hit it's rays upon Emma's pale skin. Neal's knees buckled at the sight of his wife, so pure and effortless, while his heart pounded against his chest.

"Ooh, Papa, let's go on the slide," Milah exclaimed, pointing towards the massive pirate ship slide that connected into the pool they were currently swimming in. A roped off bridge way led the path towards the slide, a twist and turn inhabited area of fun.

Neal ducked under the water, soaking his warm body in the cold goodness, and bounced up, shaking his wet hair to the side as his abs raced in and out. Neal looked like he was a surfer, one that skimmed the ocean with just a surf board and much self confidence. "Yeah, okay, guys," Neal agreed, leading the way towards the slide. "Follow me,"

Henry and Milah swam after their father, keeping up with his steady kicking. Taking the lead, Henry lifted his head from the water and called over his shoulder, "Dad, you should see if Emma wants to come down the slide," Neal and Milah stopped in the water, treading it as they both pondered over the suggestion.

"I doubt she'll agree with it, but I guess I'll try," Neal answered, giving his son a pat on the back. "Go on up there. I'll be there soon," Preparing to duck under the water, Neal held his breath, before Milah grabbed his arm, swinging from it like a monkey.

"No, don't leave yet! You need to catch me at the bottom," she complained, picking at her blue and orange stripped one piece bathing suit, brand new and never used. Emma had bought it for her, seeing as how no one in Maine used their bathing suits that often in the summer, let alone the winter, and because Milah had outgrown her other one.

Neal pushed his kids towards the slide. "Don't worry, kid, I'll catch you. Now, go, I'll meet you at the bottom," Henry took off quickly, gliding through the water as if he was a merman, Milah following close behind. Neal retreated towards the bottom of the slide, his hands on his hips, as he waited for his kids to pop out of the bottom.

Emma, across the way from the slide, took a sip from her drink, resting it on the table beside her, while every so often spying a glance at her kids, now in line to go down the slide. Neal waved towards his wife, calling her name and begging her to take a dip in the pool. "Maybe later," she yelled back, stretching out in the sun.

The warm rays were new to her, tanning her skin and making warmth spread through her body. It was relaxing to be in the heat, and it seemed to her that the cold and dreary Maine weather was a world away. With each passing minute the sun grew hotter and more comforting, Emma getting used to it's presence.

Stepping in front of Emma's sun was a shocked Mary Margaret and a mesmerized David, each blinking a few times to register that in front of them, laying in the sun on a lounge chair, wearing a revealing bikini, was their daughter, their Emma. "Your blocking my sun," Emma hissed, not glancing at who was standing in front of her.

"Uh," Mary Margaret said, too stunned to speak. She never in a million years would have imagined Emma wearing such a bikini, looking like she was fit for an empress' life. "Emma," she added finally.

"What," the blonde woman barked, giving a slight once-over look at who was in front of her precious sun. Settling back in her chair and raising her glass of lemonade to her lips, Emma repeated, "Your blocking my sun," Taking a sip of the juice, Emma basked in the refreshing taste.

David backed away from his daughter, dropping his things on the lounge chair next to hers, and walked towards the steps leading into the pool. Mary Margaret stood in front of her daughter, watching her, observing her, taking in her appearance. Inside the pool, Henry emerged from the slide, screaming at the top of his lungs, while making a huge splash. Neal splashed his son back, before waiting quietly for Milah to come out.

With half of the sun back into view, Emma let out a breath. "That's more like it," she mused, smiling.

"I don't know whether I should be shocked or curious," Mary Margaret said to Emma, though the blonde was barely listening. "I'm shocked because I never thought you'd wear a bikini, let alone the one your wearing, and I'm curious because I've never seen you so relaxed before. What happened,"

Emma brushed her hand in front of her, blowing away the comment, while a soft breeze swayed the palm trees and ruffled Emma's long, flowing hair. "Yeah, yeah, that's great. Can you please move," she murmured, taking a glance at her mother.

Mary Margaret moved, shaking her head, and took her place on David's lounge chair. With a book in her hand, the brunette began to read, though her attention was mostly focused on Emma. The blonde, ignoring her mother, waved towards Milah's bouncing figure, nearing the entrance of the slide.

"Henry," Emma yelled, catching the attention of her son. He spun around to face Emma, his hair flying around him, like a shaggy dog's. "Tell Neal to stop staring at me and watch for Milah as she comes down the slide," Neal, his back against the slide, discretely watched his wife and her eye-popping beauty, though nothing went unnoticed for the blonde.

Henry nodded at his mother and over towards his father, slapping him against his stomach. Neal cleared his thoughts and moved closer to the slide, hearing the faint shrill screams of Milah as she approached the exit. In a flash of blue and orange, Milah jumped out of the slide and flew into Neal's arms, coughing, laughing, and waving her arms, as if she was a bird. "That was awesome," the three year old screamed, scrambling out of Neal's arms and tugging on David's swim suit. "Grampa, you have ta do that,"

David laughed at his granddaughters excitement and replied, "I don't know, kid. I don't think I'd fit down that slide," Milah frowned, unhappy, and pointed to her father, holding his breath under water, trying to beat Henry's record time.

"If Papa does it, will you," she asked, making a deal that seemed fairly agreeable.

"If Papa does it," David repeated, watching as Neal sprang up from the water, his face burning red. "and Mama, I'll do it," he looked over at Emma, her head resting against the blue material of the lounge chair.

Milah clapped her hands together. "What about Gramma," she asked her grandfather curiously.

David smirked, knowing that Mary Margaret wouldn't agree to anything that involved the water, for she was one to relax outside of the pool, rather than expose herself to the cold, wet water. "If you can get her to go down the slide, I'd say let's go for it,"

Milah, trying to jump up and down, hugged her grandfather. "Okay, I'll go get them," The three year old took off in a quick swim towards the edge of the pool, popping her head up and relaying the message of the slide fiasco to her mother and grandmother. Emma, surprised, took off her glasses, resting them on the bridge of her nose, while her mouth moved up and down, clearly disagreeing with what Milah was asking. Mary Margaret looked frightfully from the water to her granddaughter. "P'wease, Mama, Gramma," Milah begged, resting her head against the burning hot concrete and looking like an angel sent from above.

"I don't know, Milah," Mary Margaret shuddered, unsure of what to do. Her granddaughter was asking something so little, so insignificant, that the very thought of turning it off was heart shattering. The princess had a weakness, and Milah knew it well.

"P'wease," she added again, batting her eyelashes.

Mary Margaret rose from her lounge chair, dragging Emma with her, and walked towards the pool, the blonde trudging after her mother, muttering swears under her breath. "I just wanted to relax under that frickin' sun," Emma cursed, stepping into the pool, letting the water soak in her skin. Grumbling, the blonde dove under water, swimming towards Neal.

* * *

Climbing through the rope bridge was the most difficult part of their journey towards the inevitable pirate slide. The wood that made the bridge was hot from the sun, while the rope was rough to the touch, and it began to move as each adult walked across it. Neal and Emma were in the lead, Neal running towards the beginning of the slide, while Emma following close behind, her arms crossed, objecting the thought of the slide with a burning passion. Mary Margaret looked over the edge of the bridge, David next to her, watching the pool water crash against the concrete wall surrounding the pool.

"If you think a slide designed for three year old's looks scary, I don't know how you manage to defeat the dragons, witches, kings, and other Godforsaken creature back in the Enchanted Forest," Emma called over her shoulder, watching her parents as their skin paled. "What a bunch of babies,"

Neal, waiting in line behind a group of teenagers, spotted Henry and Milah, waving embarrassingly from the bottom of the slide. "It's not that we're scared," David began, catching up with his daughter. "It's just we've never done anything like this before,"

Emma whipped around to face her father. "It's a _slide_," she said again.

"It's not that bad," Neal added, nodding towards the retreating figures of the teenagers as they tumbled down the slide into the endless void of darkness. They're screams were piercing, almost like Milah's, echoing further and further into the tunnels until there was nothing more than loud splashes.

The woman running the slide looked over at the adults. She sat upon a stool, looking bored out of her mind, waiting for the next person to ride the slide. "Next," she yelled, irritated, picking at her fingernails.

"Mary Margaret, David, one of you may do the honors," Neal mimicked, pointed towards the rushing water that dumped into the slide. The prince and princess backed away, shaking their heads, while Neal tried to persuade them. "It's easy, guys. All you have to do is lay on your back and close your eyes,"

But the Charming's retreated further away, breaking their deal with Milah. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you," Emma sang, stepping in front of Neal. "But I'm going," Running towards the dark slide, Emma, violating the rules, dove into the slide on her stomach, not making much of a squeak, until she reached the sharp turns of the ride. "Holy shit," she screamed, her voice octaves higher. "Neal," came the next scream, and then, reaching the bottom, Emma fled into the pool using a cannonball-like fashion, swearing choice words that made Henry cover his hands over Milah's ears.

Neal looked down the slide, and then over at his in-laws. "It's not _that_ bad," he repeated with sarcasm. "Would anyone like to take the next turn,"

"Oh, no," David smiled, pushing Neal towards the rushing water. "Your going next," Sighing, Neal ran towards the slide, crashing with a _thunk_ onto the plastic material and protruding down the ride. He moved with incredible speed, screaming loudly, his voice deep, as the turns ran into him like a brick wall.

"Emma, I love you," Neal yelled, twisting and turning, while wiping water from his face. More cold water fled towards him, and wiping it away was doing no good, instead, Neal felt the water sting his eyes, awaking him. "I will always love you," he added, crashing at the bottom of the slide with a large wave of water.

Back on the top of the slide, Mary Margaret peeked over the edge of the bridge, watching as Neal popped from the slide and threw his hands up in the air. "Hey, David, I was thinking," Mary Margaret crept up from behind her husband, catching him off guard. "Maybe you should go first," Without thinking, the princess threw all of her strength into her arms, pushing David down the slide in a flash.

David skidded on his feet and fell into the slide. "What?! No," he drifted towards the water, falling down the tunnel, screaming and kicking the water. Mary Margaret dropped into the slide shortly after, emerging out of the tunnels and into her husband's arms.

"Didja like it," Milah asked as the adults caught their breath.

"Hell yeah," Emma and Neal yelled at the same time, high-fiving their daughter.

"Hell no," Mary Margaret and David answered, swimming away from the slide and towards the steps of the pool. Together they climbed up the steps and fell into their lounge chairs.

* * *

Still in the pool, Emma, Neal, Milah, and Henry, their body parts wrinkled and looking like a prune, played in the water, it's waves crashing against their skin. Milah and Henry hid under water, talking to each other using a code of bubbles, while floating up to the surface of the water and giggling loudly. Emma and Neal stood awhile away from their kids, keeping an eye on them.

Wanting to have some fun with his wife, Neal grabbed Emma's legs from under the water and spun her around, her body dancing across the water like a delicate swan. The blonde laughed as Neal moved her faster and faster, his grip around her ankles tightening. "You were pretty tough up there," Neal said, reminding Emma about the slide.

"They were acting like a child," the blonde replied, standing up from the water to face her husband. "It was the least I could do and show them how, you know, it wasn't all that bad,"

"Oh, yeah," Neal joked, snaking behind his wife and pulling something out of his wet pocket. In the afternoon sun, the object Neal was holding sparkled, like a fairy, twirling around his finger as he unlatched the chain. "Well, since it wasn't all that bad and you went down the slide for Milah, I want to give you something," he held the object in his fingers, feeling the silver color of the object press against his skin.

Emma started to turn around, but Neal shook his head, pointing forward, while hiding his gift behind his back. Facing forward, the blonde asked, "What are you talking about,"

Neal brought his object from behind his back and held it over Emma's head, curving his arm around so that his gift was resting against Emma's neck. "Move you hair," he said, and Emma did as he told. Clasping the locket against his wife's neck, Emma glanced down at the necklace, _her_ swan necklace.

"I thought you lost this," Emma breathed, caressing her pennant in her hand.

"Never," Neal replied, swimming to face his wife. "Do you like it... again," he asked.

Emma nodded and planted a kiss on Neal's lips. "Yeah," she answered, smiling, while breaking her lips from Neal's. Having a sudden urge to be like a teenager, Emma climbed onto Neal's back, while her husband laughed and spun around in the water, holding tightly onto Emma. He ducked under the water, Emma attached to him, and began to swim towards his kids.

They were a happy family, the four of them, and nothing could make the moment any better.

* * *

**Before you go, make sure you comment about the small survey that can be found in the beginning of the chapter. Up next: the adventure into one of the Parks. :) **

**Thanks for reading, **

**Zander1210**


	3. The Perks of Being a Child

**A/N: I hope everyone had a great holiday, with lots of presents and delicious food. School's back in session sadly, endlessly giving us homework and tests as if to mock our very existence. I know, a little over dramatic, but it's true. I was only in school for one day last week and I already have four tests this coming week. Can you believe that? The good thing is, though, right before vacation we took our high school math placement test and I got a 92! I'm so happy! :D  
**

**Happy New Year, by the way! 2014 is upon us, and my birthday is only sixteen days away. Yes, I'm keeping track...**

**Thank you all for you're love and support for this story. Sorry that I haven't posted this chapter sooner... I appreciate you all taking the time to answer the survey I posted. It seems like a lot of you all loved the Magic Kingdom. The next chapter will probably focus on Hollywood Studios (or MGM, as some people know it as). **

**Oh, one last thing. My family's going to Disney World this summer! What a coincidence, right? **

**My love goes out to you,**

**-Zander1210**

* * *

"Holy shit, it's bigger than I imagined it," Emma murmured to herself, looming up at the massive Cinderella Castle that land-marked the Magic Kingdom. Surrounding the castle were gift shops, restaurants, rides, and attractions, each piled with families much like the Cassidy, Gold, and Charming family.

Beside Emma, Mary Margaret nudged her daughter. "Don't swear, Emma," she chided, her eyes glued to the massive castle. "Milah looks up to you. You don't want to set a bad example," the motherly side in Mary Margret reared it's head, enough to make the woman nurturing, yet aggressive.

Emma rolled her eyes and gripped her daughter's hand tighter, a smile perched on both of their lips. "Yeah, yeah," she answered, cocking her head to the side. In the distance, she spotted the structure of Splash Mountain, overflowing with water and logs that were filled with screaming people.

Neal and David, huddled together, glanced down at a map of the Park, while locating the sights they saw on the parchment with the actual, large and sparkly attractions. They began mumbling to themselves, pointing out the different rides that were the closest and the rides that were the farthest. Henry, by Emma's side, watched with anticipation as kids ran through crowds, yearning to approach their favorite rides. Upon entering the Park, Mr. Gold shuffled off with Belle, claiming that they were going to visit Belle's Castle in new Fantasy Land.

"We should probably start with the back of the park and work our way forward," Emma logically explained, ignoring the tugging on her arm. Henry looked over at his mom in fascination, as Milah, Mary Margaret, David, and Neal stared wide-eyed at the blonde. "I read some of Henry's guide books. It says to start in the back," she shrugged.

Looking back at the map, Neal announced, "Well, we can start in Frontier Land," he pointed towards the left direction. "That's the farthest back. We can then walk over to Liberty Square, which is the next closest," Each family member glanced at Neal as he read from the map, Milah and Henry glowing with happiness.

Emma smiled at her husband and sighed, "Let's get to Frontier Land," Taking a quick pace of walking with Henry and Mary Margaret, the three-some led the way, while Milah, sitting upon Neal's shoulder's, walked behind the trio with David and Neal. As they walked through the beginning of the Park, sweet smells drifting from bakeries and gleaming merchandise inside shops caught their eyes, while the consistent squeal from Milah noted that each ride caught her attention.

Mary Margaret, striding next to Emma, wore a simple outfit- jean capris, canvas sneakers, a flowy sheer top with a cardigan on top, while Emma, wearing tight black skinny jeans, rolled up along her ankles and a baggy gray tank top, looked edgy and chic. With her low top sneakers, the woman was able to keep up with her mother's fast walking, as her blonde hair floated in the soft breeze. Henry was ahead, glancing back at his realities, wearing a polo shirt and shorts.

"I was wondering," Mary Margaret said suddenly.

Emma looked over her shoulder at Neal and Milah, giving them a large smile. "What," Emma replied, turning back to her mother, raising her eyebrows.

The princess studied the passing children with glee in her blue eyes. "I was wondering, if, uh, you were thinking about having more," she finished, being somewhat cryptic.

"More..." Emma asked, clearly confused. Passing by Space Mountain, Emma made a mental note to ride the fast-paced roller coaster on the way towards the beginning of the Park. Wanting to feel the rush of adrenaline, the blonde's insides begged to go on it, to feel her stomach drop as the simulator lurched forward in darkness.

Mary Margaret averted her eyes and scanned the crowds again. "More kids," she said shortly after passing the pathway towards the Swiss Family Robinson tree house. "You know, anytime soon,"

Emma, ripped away from her Splash Mountain thoughts, jerked her head in her mother's direction. "Oh, um, I'm not sure yet. I mean, Neal and I talked about it, but we're busy with Milah and Henry right now,"

"Right, right," Mary Margaret answered with a smile. "You're doing a wonderful job, you know, with Milah and Henry. They're great kids- so sweet, intelligent, and curious- much like Neal and yourself," As they neared Frontier Land, Henry stopped and waited for his parents and relatives, growing impatient with each passing second.

Stopping next to her son, Emma pulled Mary Margaret closer to her, hissing into her ear, "What's this about? Are you not telling me something," the younger woman asked, Henry leaned forward, hoping to hear his mother's conversation. But before he could overhear the conversation, the blonde woman stepped in front of his view.

Mary Margaret shook her head, placing her hand on Emma's upper arm. "Nothing, I was just curious. David and I talked about it, too, but we weren't sure," she whispered back quietly as Neal, David, and Milah came to a stop with Henry.

"All right, Big Thunder Mountain is over there," Neal explained, acting as a tour guide, while pointing out a large Southwest themed roller coaster. "There's Splash Mountain and Country Bear Jamboree... Where to first," he asked, eyeing Milah upon his shoulder and Henry, near his mother.

"Splash Mountain," both kids cried at once, wanting to go on the log flume ride. On a hot sunny day in the Magic Kingdom, a great way to cool off is riding Splash Mountain, a fun thriller water ride that held many twists and turns. Near the end of the ride, a steep climb towards the top of a cliff allowed you to see around the Park at a bird's eye view, while the drop down was scream-inducing. "Splash Mountain," they repeated.

Neal whipped Milah from his shoulders and brought her next to Henry. "Splash Mountain it is," he concluded with a laugh, as he patted Milah's high-tops kicking against his blue polo shirt. Henry bounced up and down, grabbing his mother's baggy gray tank top and pulling her towards the waiting line.

As Henry dragged Emma, the younger woman called over her shoulder, "_Neal_," in a pleading fashion, her blonde ponytail whipping around her. Mary Margaret smiled as her son-in-law hurried over to his wife, Milah draping her arms around his neck, holding onto her father for dear life. David intertwined his fingers with Mary Margaret's and led her through the crowd, braving to go on the thrilling ride.

* * *

The coming drop of Splash Mountain was enough to drive the words from Henry's mouth. Sitting in the front row, next to his mother, who looked cool and confident as the log steadily climbed the hill towards the drop, Henry watched the sides of the rides, where automated animals sang and played their musical instruments, pass by. He had enjoyed the thriller ride as it slowly passed through the many storybook scenes, but instantly regretted jumping into the front row of the log flume in the beginning of the ride.

"How big of a drop do you think it is," Henry asked his mother, while slouching lower into the seat the higher the log climbed. "A rough estimate," he added with a shudder.

Emma shrugged and leaned her head against the back of the log. "I dunno, but we're coming towards the top of it," the woman informed, pointing towards the peak of the drop. Behind her, Milah screamed loudly, clapping her hands together, as she buried herself within Neal's chest. Mary Margaret and David, sitting in the last row of the log, clung to each other for dear life, their skin paler than usual.

Neal raised his hands into the air, holding them above him as he braced himself for the drop. "You guys scared," he questioned as the last of the climb ended and the log flume sat perched on the tip of the drop. A view of the entire Magic Kingdom park sprung into Emma's eyes, a series of spinning rides of all colors and the bright Florida sun. It truly is the happiest place on earth. "I think Milah is," he observed, eyeing his daughter bunched into his shirt.

"Nah," Emma breathed, draping her arm around Henry's shoulder. "How about Mary Margaret and David,"

Before Neal or Emma's parents could answer, the log flume tipped over and rapidly dove down the drop, water spraying on all sides of the flume. Screaming on the top of his lungs, Henry smiled and nudged his mother as a hidden camera snapped their picture. Mary Margaret and David, their screams piercing and loud, over powered Henry, while Milah followed her mother and fathers brilliant idea to hold their arms above them.

Drenching Emma, water spilled on top of her blonde hair, wrapped in a ponytail, and onto her baggy gray tank top. It soaked into her as the log began to drop faster and faster, until they reached the bottom of the ride, where the log ended with a gigantic splash of water, bellowing around each of the family members.

Henry bobbed up and down in his seat, no longer nervous or scared of the ride. "That was awesome," he exclaimed, summing up the drop in a single sentence. The log flume floated towards the beginning of the ride, passing under a bridge where Park guests watched the log flumes drop. "Totally awesome," Henry added with a large smile.

"Did anyone get wet," Neal asked with a laugh, fanning his wet polo shirt with disgust as it wrapped around his chest. Milah peered over the edge of the log and waved towards the Park guests as they cheered and clapped, acting as if she were a princess addressing her fellow kingdom folks.

Emma turned around and rang out her ponytail, "Just a tad," she muttered, glancing at her mother and father, looking frightened and worried that another surprise drop was lurking around the corner. "Don't worry, guys, there are no more drops," Emma reassured to Mary Margaret and David.

Both adults exhaled evenly and glanced down at their damp clothing. "That wasn't too bad," David managed to say to his daughter, eyeing them carefully. "I mean, aside from the drop, it was all right,"

"You're unbelievable," Emma murmured, turning around to joke with her son. Meanwhile, Milah and Neal were both pretending to bow to the crowd of their kingdom, blowing them superficial waves that they had seen in movies and smiling widely.

The crowd, catching on to what the three year old and her father were doing, shouted, "Princess," into the air, waving back to the father and daughter to amuse on-lookers. "Princess," the crowd cheered, and, taking note of Neal, chanted, "All hail the king and princess," Neal thanked them, a large smile on his face, as he heartily bowed before his people.

Arriving back at the beginning of the ride, the family stepped out of their log and swirled towards the gift shop that sold the pictures taken from the ride. Spotting the picture on the wall, Henry thundered over to it and jumped up and down, pointing towards their mixed emotion family. Mother and son, in the front row, both smiled brightly into the camera with their arms in the air, while behind them, Milah's face was barely notable, covered inside her father's light-weight polo shirt fabric. Neal, though his hands raised above him, had a surprised expression upon his face, making him look as if the drop was a circling, endless black hole. In the third row, Mary Margaret and David ducked together, shielding themselves from the splashing water.

"Oh, I'm totally buying that picture," Emma chuckled, leading her son away from the picture on the wall and towards the cash register. Beside her, Henry began to flip through the racks of tee-shirts and post cards displayed diagonally across the register, the limp feeling in his legs disintegrating into happiness and glee. "You want anything, Henry," Emma asked over her shoulder as she slapped money onto the desk.

The fourteen year old held up a post card, an idea forming in his mind. "Can I get a post card to remind myself of what we did on our first day inside the Magic Kingdom? It'll be great to look back at in a few years," Being a creative boy, Henry was always thinking of ways to expand his knowledge and document things in a new and exciting way.

Emma nodded her head towards the sales clerk. "Sure, kid, just bring it over here," Henry retreated towards the register, tapping the post card, a picture perfect camera shot of the looming structure of Splash Mountain, between his fingers.

After placing the post card inside the blue plastic bag with the picture, mother and son rejoined the family outside the gift shop. "Thanks, mom," Henry said politely, taking the bag from Emma's grip. "You're the best,"

"Just keep saying that, kid, and I'll buy you whatever you want," Emma grinned with a roll of her eye.

* * *

As the Cassidy family, along with David and Mary Margaret strolled through Liberty Square soon after leaving Frontier Land. Wanting to ride the Haunted Mansion and collect his next memoir of Disney, Henry led his family towards the creepy house, filled with talking ghosts, portraits whose eyes seem to follow you, and a hallway of mirrors reflecting your ghoulish appearance. Next, the family entered Fantasy Land, the area within the Magic Kingdom that Milah had oh-so-hopefully wanted to visit.

"Mama, can we _p'wease_ go on It's a Small World?! P'wease," Milah begged, tugging on her mother's hand, pointing towards the inviting entryway of the ride. Kids and parents were lined up behind the steel chains that surrounded the perimeter of the ride, while on a canopy above the entryway, drawings of kids from around the world greeted the passing guests. "And then, can we go on Dumbo the Flying Elephant?! And then, the Mad Tea Party ride! And then, 'innie the Pooh! _And then_, the carousel! And finally, Peter Pan's Flight!" the three year old chorused, surveying around her at the bright and cheery rides.

Upon hearing his sister's future suggestions, the fourteen year old exclaimed, "No! We're not going on the Peter Pan ride," in a harsh snap, cowering back in his tall stance. "I don't want that Goddamn flying kid to appear out of nowhere and take me back that freakin' island ," he added under his breath, no one other than David and Neal able to hear the comments made towards Pan.

David placed an arm around his grandson's shoulders, while Neal gave his son's arm a squeeze in reassurance. "I agree with your brother, Peanut," Neal interjected, causing Milah's eyebrow to raise in curiosity. "No Peter Pan ride,"

"Why," Milah squeaked, unhappy and confused. "I wanna go on the ride,"

Emma bit back a smirk, wanting to know how Neal would explain to Milah the infamous and heart-wrenching adventures they had experienced in Neverland all those years ago. Neal gave his daughter a narrow stare and answered, "Milah, we're not going on that ride and that's final. No explanation or answer is going to be given. Is that understood,"

Milah nodded, her spirits sinking, but instantly forgot about her previous confrontation with her father and brother when spotting Sleeping Beauty standing near a patch of grass with a small line of kids crowding around her. Though Milah was more of an adventurer, loving the more masculine Disney figures, the three year old's eyes lit aglow once seeing the princess. Digging out her autograph book that Mary Margaret had bought her, the little girl began to jump up and down. "Mama! Mama! Mama, look- it's Sleeping Beauty," Milah squealed.

Emma turned her head and spotted the princess wearing her famous pink gown. "C'mon, sweetie, let's go see her. We'll meet up with Papa, Henry, and Grampa later," As Milah started to tug on her mother, bringing her towards the awaiting princess, Emma grabbed Mary Margaret's wrist and yanked her with her.

"I'll call you, Emma," Neal yelled as his wife trailed away.

As Emma, Milah, and Mary Margaret drew nearer to Sleeping Beauty, the crowd of kids who had already received their autographs and pictures vanished, and was replaced with a few more lingering children all of various ages. Sleeping Beauty stood with a straight back, her pink dress flowing around her in swirls, while her blonde hair was pinned back in an elegant array of curls. Kind hearted, much like Mary Margaret, Sleeping Beauty greeted her visitors cheerfully and paid special attention to each of them. When it was Milah's turn, the three year old stayed glued to the pavement, staring up expectantly at the princess.

"Go ahead, Milah. She's waiting for you," Emma prodded her daughter. Milah barely moved, her eyes widening and her mouth gaping open, standing shocked in place for minutes and minutes on end. "Milah," Emma sang, pushing the three year old forward a few steps.

Sleeping Beauty knelt to the ground, giving Emma an appreciative nod, before setting her gaze on the three year old. With a smile, the princess clasped her hands together and said, "What a pretty name that is- _Milah_. I've never heard of many princesses with that name,"

Milah blushed and toed the ground with her high tops. "Mama named me after my Papa's mama," the three year old confined, bringing her gaze up to the princess. "Papa says he loved his mama very much, and that's why my papa and mama named me after her,"

"How wise," Sleeping Beauty confined with a smile. "Well, Princess Milah, would you like to have our picture taken together for your mother and her-..." the fairytale princess gestured towards Mary Margaret, noting that the blonde woman standing next to her was indeed Milah's mother for obvious reasons.

"Sister," Mary Margaret interjected quickly. "We're sisters," Claiming that Mary Margaret was actually the blonde woman's mother, though it is true, would be oddly disturbing to face, as they are the same age. "Milah is my... niece," Milah whipped her head around and quizzically stared at her grandmother, but Mary Margaret shook her head, pressing a firm smile on her lips.

Emma groaned inwardly, biting back a smile that spread upon her face. "Yes, Mary Margaret is my _sister_," Emma hissed, digging inside her leather knapsack for her purple camera. Sleeping Beauty shrugged happily and pulled Milah closer to her, posing elegantly beside the three year old, who was missing many of her teeth and was wearing what seemed like a peasants uniform compared to the dress the princess wore. Aiming the camera, the blonde woman quickly took three pictures and said, "Great, got them. Thanks so much,"

Milah skipped back towards her mother, waving a simply farewell to the Princess Aurora. Mary Margaret led the way towards It's a Small World, keeping up with Emma's careful stride. "She actually thought we could pass as sisters," Mary Margaret laughed.

"I'm so gonna kill you if you say that again," Emma replied, giving her mother's arm a squeeze.

* * *

Emma Cassidy was about to throw up.

After riding the utterly annoying It's a Small World ride, Milah had dragged her mother and grandmother towards Dumbo the Flying Elephant, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and now onto the Mad Tea Party ride. An Alice in Wonderland inspired ride, life-sized teacups that were attached to a rotater spun wildly across a teacup plate that housed the cups.

Milah had taken the liberty of turning the metal wheel in the middle of the cup, spinning the brightly painted teacup around and around the plate, jerking both her mother and grandmother around in their seats. At one point, Mary Margaret had begun to see doubles, the constant zip of the teacup playing tricks with her eyesight, while Emma felt the sudden urge to use her Godforsaken magic and disappear out of ride.

"Isn't this fun, Mama," Milah cried happily, turning the teacup towards the right, spinning it in place for a few minutes that seemed to drag on forever.

With an inwardly groan, Emma pressed a fake smile on her face and answered, "Oh, yeah, lots of fun," in mock enthusiasm. Mary Margaret sharply bumped into the side of the cup as Milah turned the wheel quickly to the left. The teacup now spun in a twirling circle without moving left or right. "Holy shit, I think I'm going to be sick," Emma muttered.

Milah, ignoring her mother, grasped the wheel and turned it without a notice towards the left again, dragging Emma and Mary Margaret forward in their seats. Knocking into the metal wheel, Emma bit her lip hard enough to sputter blood, and the intense feeling of getting sick only grew worse.

The three year old threw her hands up into the air. "Wee!" she exclaimed with a broad smile on her face. "Let's go faster," Turning the wheel with both of her hands, Milah used her small muscles to steadily move the wheel quickly in its place, the teacup violently spinning.

"Let's not," Emma chorused back, clutching her stomach as it swirled and dropped.

Mary Margaret bumped into her daughter, the teacup spinning with a jerk towards the right. "Never trust Milah to drive a car," Mary Margaret managed to say, giving Emma a ferocious look.

Turning over and over on the rotater, the teacup moved lightly around the plate, the sights passing by a blur to both Emma and her mother. For a second, Emma thought to have spotted Neal, Henry, and David standing among the line of people waiting for the teacups, but her mind instantly went blank as the cup sped away.

Emma glanced over at her mother. "Wouldn't think of it," she answered as the teacup's gears grew smaller in comparison to Milah's melodic laughter. Finally, the spinning cup halted to a stop, flinging Emma and Mary Margaret forward, their stomach's crashing into the metal wheel. A voice over the loud speaker announced that everyone's turn on the ride was over, and to please exit the ride in an orderly fashion. Emma jumped up from her seat and grabbed Milah by her hand, kicking open the enclosed door within the teacup and storming away from the Alice in Wonderland ride. "It's over. Thank God," Emma muttered, the world before her spinning as if she was still in the teacup.

At the bottom of the exit ramp, Neal, Henry, and David were watching the blonde woman and her daughter wearily trail away from the ride. Milah broke free of her mother's grip and launched into David's arms, while Emma, her vision blurring, steadied herself along the metal gate.

"Emma," Neal called questioningly, the smile that was on his face clouding into a frown. But Emma ignored her husband and closed her eyes, resting her head against the gate. "Babe, are you okay," he asked, running towards his wife on the ramp.

Feeling his presence, Emma fell into Neal's arms, her legs draped along the concrete ramp as her head lay against Neal's chest. "I'm never going on that Goddamn ride _ever_ again," she murmured, staring up at her husband with pleading green eyes.

* * *

After meeting Gold and Belle at Be Our Guest restaurant, where Emma gulped down two glasses of water and two Tylenol's that she had stored in the pocket of her knapsack, the three families made their way back towards the front of the Park. Preparing to leave, Henry suddenly stopped in the midst of the crowd and tugged on his father's polo shirt. "Dad, can we go on one last ride before we leave," he asked.

Neal, holding hands with Emma, turned towards his son and halted his walking. "Uh, sure, kid. Which one," he questioned, Emma eyeing both of her boys with utmost curiosity. In truth, the blonde wanted nothing more than to hop on the bus back towards the hotel, climb into bed, and sleep until the night when they inevitably had to come back to the Magic Kingdom for dinner and the firework show.

"Space Mountain," the fourteen year old smiled, pointing in the distance towards the looming structure of the thriller roller coaster.

Neal returned the smile and glanced over at his wife. "What'd you say, Em? You up for one last roller coaster," As her son and husband waited expectantly for the blonde's decision, Emma racked her thoughts. Space Mountain was the roller coaster she had been looking forward to the most when coming into the Magic Kingdom, and yet the wave of sleepiness overwhelmed her.

With a large smile, Emma nodded and shrugged, thinking that since she was in Disney World, for crying out loud, and she could at least have some fun. Ignoring her tiredness from the Tylenol pills, Emma answered, "Yeah, I could go for one more,"

* * *

Soon after telling the rest of the family they would soon meet up with them back at the hotel, Emma, Henry, and Neal began to walk quickly towards Space Mountain. A massive white enclosed structure, Space Mountain was a fast-paced, outer-space themed, steel roller coaster that became known as the oldest roller coaster in the state of Florida.

Three to a rocket ship cart, Henry rode in the first seat with Emma sitting behind him, and Neal bringing up the rear, each family member buzzing with excitement. As much as they didn't want to admit it, Neal and Emma were unleashing their inner kid, making up for the time in their life when they were forced to grow up earlier than others.

Blue neon lights illuminated the ceiling, revealing stars and comets encrusted brightly, while the tunnels ahead of the rocket-cart were pitch black, leading into a track of nothingness.

"Did you know that the Alpha track, the track we're on, is ten feet longer than the track opposite to us," Henry stated, turning around to face his mother and father, acting more like a tour-guide rather than a fourteen year old kid. "They did that in order to permit the tracks to cross one another,"

Neal glanced around him, surveying the ride. "That's pretty cool," he replied, looking back at his son. "Which guidebook did you read that from, Henry," Neal asked a few minutes after.

The fourteen year old gave a toothy grin to his father and answered, "Online, actually," with much intelligence. "Not sure which Website, though," he added, facing front as the blue lights glowed brighter. Without another word, the roller coaster lurched into action, traveling rapidly down the tracks.

Emma gripped the safety bar in front of her, her heart beating quickly with the sudden movement of the car. "Well, they could've given us some warning before taking off," she muttered. "Damn," About to add another swear to her rant, Emma closed her mouth tightly as the rocket-cart made a sharp one-hundred eighty degree turn, and stopped with a creak at a holding break.

For a few seconds, all was quiet except for Neal's feet kicking the back of Emma's chair excitedly. The grown man he was, Neal had been dying to ride Space Mountain for many months upon booking the trip and researching the Disney Parks. Making a deep scream in his throat, Neal braced himself for the holding break to be released, and the train shot down the slope into the strobe tunnel.

In front of him, Emma and Henry screamed, their voices much louder than usual. As the cart tumbled down the strobe tunnel, the blue lights blinked slowly, quickly increasing the further the rocket-cart journeyed at its quick pace. Blonde hair in his eyes, Neal threw his arms up happily and felt the rush of adrenaline pulse through him. Nearing the end of the tunnel, on-ride photo camera flashed, before the train turned another one-hundred eighty degrees and climbed up a hill.

"That was awesome," Henry yelled, as the cart traveled up the hill. A short drop ahead, the rocket-cart fell down on the track and instantly began to gain speed going through a series of sharp turns, climbs, and drops in the darkness of the dome surrounding them.

Crashing into the side of the cart, Emma braced herself for another turn as if Milah was spinning the teacup, but felt her stomach drop a hundred stories as the cart dropped farther into the dark. Her breath caught in her chest, Emma screamed on the top of her lungs, Neal and Henry both mirroring her. Braving the ride and proving a point, each of the Cassidy family members raised their hands into the air, against the ride rules, and anxiously awaited for the next drop. Instead, the cart turned twice to the left and once to the right, and then raced towards the top of a hill. Letting the cart drop down yet another hill, Emma, Henry, and Neal's hearts pounded against their chests, wanting more and more of a rush.

Ahead of the train, a red swirling wormhole was seen in the distance. The roller coaster rushed towards the red lights, moving without a sound other than echoing screams, the speed slowly decreasing. Hitting the break run, the rocket-cart returned back to the unloading station, where pictures from the ride of families were found.


End file.
